The need for change

Very few people choose to change for no reason. Change is uncomfortable and awkward. There are new behaviours and ways of thinking to work out. It is outside of our comfort zone.

Change comes when people reach a crisis point. Change comes when the comfort zone becomes too uncomfortable.

Is there a crisis in our midst? People are concerned about the economy, jobs and their financial security. When this happens, people turn to their trusted economic advisers. Unfortunately, in the US, these are the same people who caused the problem by taking unreasonable risks, and now expect the taxpayers to help them solve their problem.

I listened to a CBC talk show a couple of days ago, Rex Murphy, I believe, as I was driving. A fellow called in and said (I paraphrase): I have a small business, and I am now under more financial pressure than ever, and the government is not going to even consider a bailout package for me. Worse than that, they will use my tax dollars to subsidize some of the least efficient industries in the country.

There is a great wisdom in pointing out this paradox. I believe that small business is the best solution to Canada's woes. They generate more jobs, more revenue and they are local, rather than multinational, in nature. Small, local solutions to local problems.

In government, perhaps we should question our trusted advisers before handing them the keys to the vault again. As Einstein said, insanity is to do the same thing over and over again and expect different results.